The disclosure relates generally to the expansion and contraction of materials in response to changes in temperature. More particularly, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for tailoring the coefficients of thermal expansion of metallic materials, and the directionality of thermal expansion and contraction of metallic materials, in response to changes in temperature.
Matter has a tendency to change volume in response to changes in temperature, a phenomenon often referred to as thermal expansion. Most materials respond to a decrease in temperature by contracting (a reduction in volume) and respond to an increase in temperature by expanding (an increase in volume). The degree of thermal expansion of a material is typically characterized by the material's coefficient of thermal expansion, which may be influenced by a variety of factors such as the temperature applied, deformation applied, material composition, as well as any previous processing of that material. Since thermal expansion affects the dimensions of materials subjected to variations in temperature, it can be a significant factor in selecting materials for use in structures and devices.